Most sought after bird in Negros

[mantarey]

Alain and I were really trying hard to catch this elusive bird. Thank God, we finally got it in a place where most people believe it can not be found. It was Alain who discovered this new site to see this Babbler. Yo' the man, Alain.

Some people in our group have even traveled 5 hours by car and hiked two hours in Mt. Canlaon to see this unique looking babbler. We were so blessed to capture it in the last few hours before we left for home.

Flame-templed Babbler (Dasycrotapha speciosa), Twin Lakes, 9-25-11
50D + EF500, f6.3, 1/160, ISO 800, Manual Exposure, Handheld

[Ramon Quisumbing]

Congrats, Rey, on capturing such a rare and spectacular bird! Was this in Lake Balinsasayao near Dumaguete?

[mantarey]

Thanks Mon, yes that place, we found a fruiting tree so it will be there for some time.

[Lawrence Lo]

Wow nice looking bird. Is this from the view deck or in the trail? Its almost a year when I last visit Twin lake, love to go back sometime.

[Agerico M. De Villa]

Big big big congratulations!

[mantarey]

Sept 26, 2011 20:07:30 GMT Lawrence Lo said:

Wow nice looking bird. Is this from the view deck or in the trail? Its almost a year when I last visit Twin lake, love to go back sometime.

Thanks Lawrence. It's in a trail but very near the view deck area.

[Toto Gamboa]

Wow .. beautiful bird!

[Clemn A. Macasiano Jr.]

Congratulation ! What's the subject distance ? Can you share here in the forum the situation and how you able to capture this elusive and beautiful bird ? Did you have a teary eye when you press the shutter ? he he he

[Ely Teehankee]

Beautiful bird and nice capture. Well done Rey & Mabuhay.

[mantarey]

Sept 26, 2011 22:01:17 GMT Agerico M. De Villa said:

Big big big congratulations!

Thanks a lot Prof.

[mantarey]

Thanks a lot Doc Boy, Toto and Ely.

[mantarey]

Sept 27, 2011 1:29:31 GMT Clemn A. Macasiano Jr. said:

Congratulation ! What's the subject distance ? Can you share here in the forum the situation and how you able to capture this elusive and beautiful bird ? Did you have a teary eye when you press the shutter ? he he he

After trying to find it for at least three days in several places we were not able to capture this very elusive bird, true to its behavior as a babbler it is so hard to see.

We went to Twin Lakes to look for the White-winged Cuckoo Shrike and wasn't expecting to encounter the FTB. Anyways, Alain found a fruiting tree and the bird just keeps on coming back. That allowed us to approach a little nearer than usual though it wasn't an easy catch at all.

When it arrives, it goes in the interior parts of the tree and goes back inside after grabbing a fruit. We had so many photos were the leaves are in its face and had also a lot of head shots totally without the body visible in the frame.

The hard part also is we need to have enough DOF because it's always behind a twig or some leaves and shutter speeds really slowed down a lot. That's why I got it at f6.3 at 1/160, ISO 800.

Thank God after so many tries I was fortunate enough to get a photo were more of the bird is visible than what is covered by the leaves and sharp enough to be a keeper.

I wasn't teary eyed but we were practically shouting with joy when we finally got our keepers.

[Tirso Paris]

Congrats on the prized capture. What a beautiful bird!

[fred serrano]

wow! congratulations!

[Clemn A. Macasiano Jr.]

Sept 27, 2011 9:42:56 GMT @mantarey said:

Sept 27, 2011 1:29:31 GMT Clemn A. Macasiano Jr. said:

Congratulation ! What's the subject distance ? Can you share here in the forum the situation and how you able to capture this elusive and beautiful bird ? Did you have a teary eye when you press the shutter ? he he he

After trying to find it for at least three days in several places we were not able to capture this very elusive bird, true to its behavior as a babbler it is so hard to see.

We went to Twin Lakes to look for the White-winged Cuckoo Shrike and wasn't expecting to encounter the FTB. Anyways, Alain found a fruiting tree and the bird just keeps on coming back. That allowed us to approach a little nearer than usual though it wasn't an easy catch at all.

When it arrives, it goes in the interior parts of the tree and goes back inside after grabbing a fruit. We had so many photos were the leaves are in its face and had also a lot of head shots totally without the body visible in the frame.

The hard part also is we need to have enough DOF because it's always behind a twig or some leaves and shutter speeds really slowed down a lot. That's why I got it at f6.3 at 1/160, ISO 800.

Thank God after so many tries I was fortunate enough to get a photo were more of the bird is visible than what is covered by the leaves and sharp enough to be a keeper.

I wasn't teary eyed but we were practically shouting with joy when we finally got our keepers.

Thanks for sharing your experience Rey ... Now Who wants to go to Dumaguete again ? To capture the Negros beauty. Go go go go !

[alainpascua]

This catch really gave the climax of the birding trip in Dumaguete, and fittingly it did just hours before flying back to Manila!

Big congrats, Rey, for catching this guy in the open!

I was nervous when I saw these birds - so excited to know they were around and yet so nervous we might not be able to photograph them. Thrice I went to Malangwa Creek/River in Bacong, Negros Oriental and I was not able to photograph even a documentary shot of this bird. In three separate occasions spanning over two years, I did not even see it in the open. It was indeed great having seen it in the open, not singly, but more!

Congrats, ser!

[Tateo Osawa]

A beautiful bird and nice capture, a lifer for you, Congratulation Rey !!

[mantarey]

Thank you very much sir Alain and Tateo san.

[mantarey]

Thank you very much sirs Tirso and Fred.

[luisitoco]

Congratulations and thank you for sharing this rare capture Sir Rey!